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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Bloggers from Delhi meet-the unofficial version

I almost didn’t make it for the bloggers meet. Not that I wasn’t keen. Having read so many accounts of Indiblogger-meets, I had been waiting for the Delhi version for months. And every time I read an announcement about a new meet (even Dubai got one), I would sulk and wonder, why not Delhi?

Well it did happen, out of the blue, at such a short notice that I was far from amused. In winters we Delhites come out of our self-imposed hibernation and make the most of the weather. People eligible, ineligible get married, the city comes to life with its many exhibitions and concerts and we party like apocalypse is just round the corner. And moi goes on an overdrive inviting her long ignored friends. And it was on Saturday 18th Dec, the same day as the Indi-meet I had chosen to throw a dessert party for my close friends (yes, such a thing exists especially for people who think cooking is a mind numbing chore). I was supposed to make paatishaptas (a sweet crepe with a coconut-kheer filling). Of course the drama queen I am, I had been stressing about it for days. But my fears were not entirely unfounded, I have made this Bengali dessert precisely twice in my entire lifetime and ended up bragging about it on FB and that’s what got me in trouble. And now this meet, I so wanted to go to but couldn’t. How can I? I will be spending the entire day bumbling, fumbling in the kitchen, completely engrossed in my culinary misadventures.

I spent the entire week apologizing profusely….to my few blogger friends from Delhi for my inability to make it (two to be precise) …. I even sent a preemptive text to my friend apologizing for my imagined culinary disaster.

It was the last minute mail from Vineet Rajan from Indiblogger that changed my mind…. Hope to see you at the Delhi blogger meet! Mom will also be there. And his Mom is none other than “Zephyr”, one of my favourite bloggers. That was it, I took back my apology notes and there I was on my way to Religare Art Gallery, the venue for the meet.

On my way, I nearly perished of the mad-bad Delhi traffic. What are a zillion people doing on the road and that too on a Saturday!! I was afraid that I would end up ranting about the traffic mess during my formal intro at the gathering. It took me nearly two hours of what should have normally taken 40 minutes to reach Connaught Place. But when you are in Delhi, you forget what normal is.

I was late but so were many others and I entered the hall all smiley faced, my hair flying in all directions. At the entrance I was greeted warmly by Vineet but the ill mannered lout I am, all I could manage was “where’s Mom” (his not mine). She had yet to turn up.

It was at the meet I came face to face with the truth….we bloggers are a bunch of boring nerds. I almost fell asleep during the introductions (a notable few did sparkle though). And some of us are endearingly shy. Anoop Johnson, our MC for the day did try to liven up the proceedings with his crackling humour.

The Delhi meet also had a very important social cause associated with it - The blanket of relief “an initiative to distribute blankets to help Delhi’s homeless fight the biting cold”. We had a fun quiz too, conducted by mydala (Indibloggers’s social partner) where we were asked soul searching questions as – what does Cinnabon taste like(sweet, sour ,salty) what did the guy say when he threw his wristwatch out of the window …..And we went mad screaming out the answers, why! because the giveaways were free Cinnabon hampers.

Zephyr, Tikulli and moi-Pic courtesy Tikulli Dogra

And to make us feel 16 again, we were given chart papers to hang from our backs and asked to get as many comments from fellow bloggers. After the meet I have come up with a new wisecrack….I thought I was almost famous till I went to an Indiblogger-meet. No one, absolutely no-one, barring ten people (or was it nine) reads my blog. But the brave soul I am, I don’t let such trivialities deter me….. Hi I am Purba…Purba Ray….My blog is A-musing, yes with a hyphen in between…. I did have a few coming up to me saying… You are Purba aren’t you…Loved your article on…and I silently let out a whoop of delight. But I did get to meet Zephyr the author of CyberNag, her L&M and her very cute granddaughter. I was dying to give my favourite blogger a tight hug but showed remarkable restraint. It was a pleasure connecting with Tikulli, IHM, Abha, Richa, Pankaj Batra, Sangeeta, Ankita, Arushi, Prerna and reconnecting with old friends Prateek Varma, Himanshu Shekhar and Desh.

Unfortunately I had to leave mid-way, my patishaptaas were beckoning to me. But I left with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. I did let out an anguished cry though, at the sight of Janpath and all that tantalizing rastaa shopping and sadly no time on hand.

But my story does have a sweet ending. I had a rocking mid night adda session with my friends – the patishaptaas to my utter horror turned out remarkably well and the husband chipped in with a big batch of the yummiest malpuas. And now the statutory warning…..Dear readers, to avoid incurring my wrath, steer clear of asking where’s my share of patishaptaas? I will not be making them again, at least not in this lifetime. But I am looking forward to another Indiblogger-meet, preferably on a Sunday (when the traffic is almost sane) and at a non centrally located place (to avoid the rush). Is anyone listening????

45 comments:

nice nice nice!!and the fact that you could manage both with mucho success!and patishaptas.. hmm you know how i feel about them.and on top of that now i crave for a hyderabad bloggers meet. lets cnonetheless a good meet i must say!

Ha! Nice one. Zephyr seems to be fond of you too or was she nagging you.You don't scare me...I am still going to mention Patishaptaas and demand my share. That is for making me relive the nerdy introductions and the %$#^@&!@#^.... questions in my head.And who the hell is Prateek Varma...I am The Snow Leopard

Never heard of this paatishaptas (sounds like a non tamilian saying paati chaptachi - means granny had food :D ) if in next indiblogger meet you promise to make it and bring :P i will fly all the way from bangalore to attend it lol

Blogger's meet always scare me somehow!!Firstly the entire inhibition- "Who knows me anyway!" Then to talk about my blog..ahem.. What do I say?! and the entire pressure of NOT sounding like a nerd (like u mentioned) or too-cool-for-books type..phew... too much pressure, I tell you! :)M glad you had a gud time tho :)

hahaha..I've read just 30% of the post..am smiling too much..so,will read again tomorrow morning..always good to begin(and end) the day with smiles.Wish I'd been at the bloggers meet,too.Ah well, someday..for sure.:)

Looks like a fun event. You know its funny, when I was in Delhi, I did not Blog, when I was in Bangalore and doing KM, no KM meets happened then, and now I am in faraway Toronto and sitting and watching you guys have all the networking and socializing.

Got up extra early to read and comment on the post. I was nagging Vinni about your not registering and me not being able to meet you. And viola! I got what I wanted! See how effective nagging can be? :D

Hey why didn't I get that tight hug, eh? There was no need for restraint at all. I wish the traffic had not played spoilsport and delayed us. Never mind, there is always a next time when we can pull our chairs together and yak away.

And hey, I read the reply to SRA's comment. I didn't bring my rolling pin (this time :P), not even in my handbag. Couldn't risk the little one finding it and asking, 'What is this pati?':D

Very cool. Can I end at this lame line? :). But well, these Indiblogger people do make these meets fun, don't they! I am getting to meet your fav blogger Zephyr at Mumbai with Vinni (who was my batchmate at Bschool) at Mumbai :).